Pomp and Circumstance
by J. Maria
Summary: A Very Special Graduation episode. Huge multi-cross mess.


Title: Pomp and Circumstance  
Author: Jmaria  
Rating: FR-15  
Disclaimer: I do not own: Buffy, Criminal Minds, Dark-Hunter, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Hocus Pocus, NCIS, Supernatural, TMNT, Torchwood, and any other fandoms found within. I also do not own a graduation cap or gown, or the theme. Don't sue, I have a Mcjob and you won't get crap from me.  
Summary: A Very Special Graduation episode.  
A/N: You can kinda see how I spent my Saturday (three weeks ago), you know during my 24+ hour marathon of staying conscious. Yes, because not sleeping after working a six hour shift made so much sense at two in the morning (up from 3:30pm Friday and not sleeping until 11:23pm Saturday). Is it bad that I was actually having these thoughts during the ceremony?

**__**

Pomp and Circumstance

"I told you to get a move on earlier!" Buffy Summers hissed at her two companions, before turning and giving the family in front of her a sheepish grin. "Excuse us, so sorry."

"We're over here!"

"We saved seats!"

"They're utter rubbish, but we saved 'em."

"I don't remember anyone asking you to tag along, Owen," Gwen Cooper glared at him over the velour arm rest of her seat.

"Like I'm going to miss out on a trip that's not to the bloody countryside," Dr. Owen Harper rolled his eyes and slunk further into his seat.

"The girls don't even _like _you," Buffy huffed, pouting as she plopped down into the seat next to Captain Jack Harkness. "Did you _really_ have to bring him?"

"I couldn't leave him alone, kids these days," Jack grinned, turning to the young man next to him. "Who's the hot shot?"

"Don't get B started on the Winchester boys, Cap," Faith chuckled, leaning down to show of the better part of her cleavage to the four rows in front of them. "Our little D's got serious crush issues on Big Bro."

"Who wouldn't?" Jack winked at the brother in question who was leaning slightly away from him. "I'm Captain Jack Harkness, and you are?"

"Dean Winchester, and I'm totally into chicks," Dean tried to shift away again.

"Quaint little boxes," Jack shook his head and turned back to Faith. "They have got to be more open minded."

"The Cap's into the girlies too, Deanie," Faith slapped him on the shoulder. "But he's always got an eye peeled for yummy boys. The more the merrier, right Cap?"

"Can you three stop talking about sex before I have to scrub my eye out with acid?" Xander Harris hissed up from the row below where he was seated between two women who were having a conversation about computers over him. One was a heavier set blonde with glasses and the other was a Goth girl in pigtails.

"Baby girl, I didn't know you were comin'!" Faith winked at her.

"Only Morgan gets to call me that, Faith," Penelope Garcia smiled back at her. "Yeah, no serial killers to stop so I got the all clear to come up for the ceremony."

"Same for you Abs?"

"Yep. McGee's got my end covered in case it's top priority, but I've had this day off for months. And no amount of Caf Pow! bribes could tempt me away," Abby Sciutto grinned.

"Why are there so many freaks at this ceremony again?" Dean huffed, tilting his head back.

"Watch who you're calling freaks, Dean," Sam warned, noticing the death glares Abby, Penelope and oddly enough, Toshiko Sato were giving his brother.

"Yeah, Dean-o. Between Baby Girl, Abs, and Tosh, your ass and all them fake ass aliases will be fucked into the next century. And that ain't even including D or Willow catching wind of your freak comments," Faith laughed at him.

"Plus I doubt the girls'll enjoy you alienating allies, Winchester," Jo Harvelle hissed at him, leaning across Sam to do so.

"Can we _not _talk shop during family time?" Buffy cried, getting odd stares from the other families and friends around them. Blushing brightly, she whipped back to face the group occupying the better part of three rows in the O'Dowd Amphitheater. "The girls and guys did something pretty spectacular, so can we just behave like normal people for a few hours?"

No one had a chance to respond to that as the little man on the stage far below them announced the Class of 2008. Everyone stood and applauded on cue. And then came the speeches. And then all hell broke loose. At least up in rows H, I, and J of the balcony. It started with a Winchester.

"Dude, can this get any more boring?" Dean muttered under his breath.

"It's a bit stale, no pop, no real enthusiasm," Jack agreed.

"It's a graduation ceremony," Rupert Giles snorted from the end of the row. "Not a bloody stage production."

"He could jazz it up a bit, that's all I'm saying!" Jack rolled his eyes, but settled down.

And then they handed out the diplomas. Each family screamed its heart out for their kids, each one trying to outdo the others. Dean snorted when one particularly enthusiastic boyfriend - not of their huge party, thankfully - whipped out a cowbell.

"Dude, I should've brought a cowbell!"

"There's this thing I can do that can -" Jack started to offer just as Buffy clapped a hand over his mouth.

"No. Funky. Bracelet. Usage. K?" Buffy grit her teeth together before leveling her glare on Dean. "No. Stealing. The. Damn. Cowbell. And. No. Rock. Salt. Salutes!"

"Like I'd waste the ammo."

"What's the worst that could happen? It's just rock salt," Gwen murmured.

"Ohmigod!" Buffy cried, eyes widening at the silly woman. "Tell me those words didn't just leave her mouth?"

"They did. Damn, and it was shapin' up so well," Faith shook her head.

"What kinda idgits you hirin' over in Cardiff, Harkness?" One of the older men sitting at the end of the row tipped the brim of his cap back.

"Only the prettiest, Bobby," Jack muttered.

"Hey, I think I see them!" An oblivious Xander cried excitedly.

"Connor Liam Angel."

Angel and Spike stood and cheered along with Abby and a man in shades and a cream colored suit who looked a bit green. Gunn, still suffering from paralysis whistled and shouted from his seat, while Illyria gave a small smile and a dignified clap. Two figures in the far corner with dark hair and dressed in leather and sunglasses also hooted for him. The others politely joined along, cheering on the first of the six to get their names called.

"Way to go, Peaches, jr!" Spike's invigorated holler made the people around them snicker and got a steely glare from Connor who may or may not have flipped his 'cousin' off.

"Kathryn Lisbeth Holburn."

This time, five figures in trench coats and fedoras jumped up and shouted for her. Her mother, Liz Holburn clapped all the while brushing away tears, a red-headed woman who Liz introduced as her nephew's wife, April O'Neil-Jones, whistled, while her husband, Casey whipped out a hockey stick and shook it above his head.

"Kit-tay!" Casey shouted, whooping it up.

"Shut up, you psychotic hockey freak!" Kit shouted back, blushing insanely as she snatched her diploma and huffed off the stage.

"Worth it," Casey shrugged before plopping back in his seat.

"Rona Valencia Jackson."

"Valencia!" Dean's shocked cry could be heard across the huge auditorium and there was no disguising Rona's very public use of the bird.

"Dude, you are such an ass," Sam muttered before yelling Rona's first name loudly, the sentiment echoed by Jo, Bobby, Ellen, Ash, and well, Bobby's invisible wife Marcie. Dean hooted for her too. Begrudgingly.

"Dawn Marie Summers."

Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles and the rest of the Scoobies jumped to their feet. Buffy teared up and Spike shouted for his Niblet. Muffled noises came from the far upper corner, but no one really paid mind to those noises.

"Carlos Alejandro Trejo."

Penelope Garcia hooted and hollered for her cousin. Faith gave him a quick holler, but it was the group of kids from two rows down who did most of the screaming. Five girls and four guys cheered him on, though the blond guy was clearly not into it. And a small family, consisting of a teenaged girl, an infant and a young couple a bit older than Buffy smiled and clapped.

"Victoria Leigh Walker."

It took them a few seconds to realize it was Vi walking across the stage. Jack and Gwen surged to their feet shouting and laughing, Ianto and Tosh gave her a round of applause, and Owen actually whistled. Vi ducked her head but smiled all the same for the thoughts.

All in all, it was an ordinary ceremony with no loud explosions or demon attacks. A first for the Scooby Gang and the extended families. They were drawing to the very last names when Willow looked nervously back at the group in general.

"Uh, guys?"

"What's with that look, Will?" Xander asked, speaking for the group en masse.

"Everybody's packing, right?"

"Why?" Buffy said over the numerous yeahs, narrowing her eyes at them all.

"Good. Cause my warding spell is about to be broken and we've got a slew of baddies knocking loudly on it."

"God, can't anybody graduate from school without an apocalypse?"

"Apparently not the Summers girls," Faith snorted, her eyes shifting to Jack. "When B graduated college? Morlocks."

"Willow's was the Etruscan wraiths," Buffy huffed.

"I knew there was a reason I hung out with you guys," Dean and Jack said at the same time.

"Not to break up the merry bit of chatter, but baddies are waiting to slaughter the lot of us, guys," Spike interrupted.

"Right. And I promised Dawnie no apocalypses on her big day."

"You did what?" Gwen and Willow cried.

"Damn, B, and you were raggin on G-girl for sayin 'what's the worst that could happen'?" Faith laughed.

"Buffy! Bad puppies!" Dawn shrieked up from the main floor of the auditorium.

"Oh crap. Coming Dawnie!"


End file.
